Customer Service

DIETCOKE

DIETCOKE

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Apr 6, 2009
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I know that some CSRs take many calls throughout the day but when tracing an order how long should you have to wait for information on your shipment. Some companies have gone to "email only" tracing requests and others just don't answer in a timely manner. I always thought that your call should be returned promptly.
Is anyone else having issues or is this just my rant of the day?
 
No DietCoke - you are not the only one - I have the same problem! usually, the dispatchers / CSR people are so nice with us when they want the load! But once they got it and your calling to get tracings, it's sometime a pain to get answers! That's why I usually use emails as I have more then 150 loads to trace in one day and don't have time to stay on hold for 5-10 minutes each time to get a ' we'll call you back shortly ' answer! :)
Cheers
 
That's a bit of a difficult question (which is why you are asking it of course).
My 1.5 cents:
Email only is pathetic. We would NEVER tell our customer (we are a broker exclusively) that we can not take their phone call (for any reason) but would rather they contact us by email. Rate request, order, future project, etc... doesn't matter - never tell your customer how to do business with you, find a way to properly service your customer (or they will find someone else that will).
Different carriers have different capabilities, some have sat tracking, some have to call their driver (or text, etc) in order to get an update. Some will put you on hold, count to 30 and then just tell you 'everything is fine'.
The BEST carriers are the ones you NEVER have to call, you know the ones, they do a great job 99% of the time and the other 1% they call YOU and you work together to fix the problem.

Al this being said, the time it takes a carrier to get you the update you are calling for likely is due to:
Does the dispatcher need to contact the driver?
Does the dispatcher simply have to log into the sat tracking system?
Does the carrier have sufficient support staff to handle the workload required by their customers?
Is the driver being honest with the dispatcher about where they are, what they are doing, hours left in their log?

I throw this last question in as one time we had a load en route from CA back to ON (we had given to a great carrier that we would trust with a load of gold bars) and the driver went to TX (with the load) for 4 days to visit his ill uncle. He also decided to turn off his cell phone.... Doubt he's still employed at the carrier although he's likely still driving (high demand you see).

I'm sure there are many other reasons for delays in updates (those with trucks will tell you better than I), I've just laid out the basics for ya.

Keep well,

Mike
 
We have found that more carriers are using an automatic notification system that's sends an e-mail indicating that a shipment has been picked-up and/or delivered. Some even indicate an exact time and a receiver's name. This advanced technology has reduced the amount of time spent calling for updates. Unfortunately, in most cases it is the carriers that always provide us with good service who have adopted this system. As Mike Jr., says, these are the ones that we really didn't have to worry about anyways.
 
Brokers generally have better customer service than carriers, it's actually one of the differentiating characteristics between the two.

Personally, I find that even as a salesperson that you just get a lot more done by email than by phone. Tracing with core carriers actually should be a standing order -- send your load statuses periodically ... and if it's an exception, we call and definitely expect someone to speak to us.

We're a broker and a carrier -- on the carrier side as well, response has to be quick. I personally raise hell here if response is too sluggish. It's better to tell someone something they don't want to hear than just to ignore them.

The trick in any business is to make your customer feel important to you.
 
loaders said:
We have found that more carriers are using an automatic notification system that's sends an e-mail indicating that a shipment has been picked-up and/or delivered. Some even indicate an exact time and a receiver's name. This advanced technology has reduced the amount of time spent calling for updates. Unfortunately, in most cases it is the carriers that always provide us with good service who have adopted this system. As Mike Jr., says, these are the ones that we really didn't have to worry about anyways.
Click to expand...

Yes!!
Nothing better than getting an email update (and we get some 24 hours a day) long before you even want/need to call for an update.

Thank you Spring Creek, Bestway, Polaris, Kris Kay, Carmen, etc...

Mike
 
The days of exceptional customer service is long gone.

Tracing and communicating through e mail only is an insult to the customer.

When a customer calls in to trace an order, you have the answer for them before they say good bye. Sometimes you do have to call back, and you.ve got 3 mintues.

That is good customer service and respect for the customer. I know that is what I expect from carriers, and is typical of the service that we provide here.
 
Normally I don't seem to have major issues. Perhaps just a bad morning since 3 of the shipments I needed to trace, the carriers did not provide prompt updates. A few carriers made it to my "B" list today...

As for email updates--I love them.
I agree with Cher ...three minutes (up to 10 maximum) to call back.
Thanks all...I feel better now!
 
From the carriers perspective (and sitting in the "CSR" seat)....

Our CSR is bogged down with tracing phone calls - as soon as she steps foot in the office and turns her computer on. Try starting your day like this...every day...for years....

I found out first hand what her mornings are exactly like. I assisted her - about 2 months ago. Being in accounting - I only "hear" what goes on in dispatch. Until I sat in her chair that morning - I had no idea. I took about 15 or so "tracing calls" and couldn't believe not only the stupidity and redundancy of the calls - but the number of them for freight that had already delivered! I was flabbergasted at calls of this nature. Couldn't the broker call their own customer first and confirm this? I had numerous calls for tracing freight at 8:30am - delivering out West - when our office didn't open for another 3 hours in B.C. And calls from brokers asking for delivery times - when the freight wasn't even scheduled to deliver until the following day....Good Lord....

I was completely floored and couldn't believe the calls she had to deal with. Brokers completely unaware of their own confirmations and details. I understand people are actually "hired" in a tracking/tracing position - but do the job efficiently. Be aware of your own shipments and details BEFORE you pick up the phone and bug the carrier. Stop calling for freight out West at 8am - freight not delivering for another day or 2 - or freight that already delivered the day prior.

My little stint as "CSR" for 45 minutes sure gave me another perspective. It also gave me a headache - mostly from taking a call and then shaking my head in disbelief. I completely understand carriers sending emails in regards to tracing - rather than taking calls of this nature. At the very least - it would avoid by 9:30am a huge phone kink in your neck.
 
"I was flabbergasted at calls of this nature. Couldn't the broker call their own customer first and confirm this? "

With all due repsect to the other points made, I don't think any company, carrier or broker, would want to call their customer looking for the freight!
 
Just my 2 cents worth in defense of CSRs, regardless if they are working for a broker or a carrier. We all sell our companies based on the high levels of customer service we provide. I find it strange, that in most cases, the people we entrust with that function and label with that title, are usually inadequately trained and severely underpaid. Not in all cases of course and this is not meant to be an excuse for poor performance, but perhaps we as managers, should take another look at this situation.
 
I agree with Loaders. It's a beancounter thing ... the tracing function is typically left to what are called CSRs that are entry level and considered a cost centre versus revenue centre. While SOPs are usually in place so problems escalate to the person in charge of the carrier and/or customer relationship, it doesn't always get escalated in the appropriate way which is a problem. I find I just have to stay in the loop.
 
Tracing calls are fine but I had one this morning email at 7am is the freight picked up. Conformation states customer opens at 8am and freight is ready at 11am. When I book freight I try to give an eta as to when driver will pick up as I did in this instance. 7.30 am phone call same broker(is freight picked up) Umm hello Mcfly did you read the conformation?? I give same update as the day before and at 7am. 9am same broker same call same answer. Same at 10 ,11 and 1pm when my driver did arrive at 1pm guess what freight is at another warehouse so I call the broker and would like extra pick up. I will get back to you. 15 minutes later broker calls is freight picked up!!! Really and carriers give bad customer service!!
 
Rob said:
Tracing calls are fine but I had one this morning email at 7am is the freight picked up. Conformation states customer opens at 8am and freight is ready at 11am. When I book freight I try to give an eta as to when driver will pick up as I did in this instance. 7.30 am phone call same broker(is freight picked up) Umm hello Mcfly did you read the conformation?? I give same update as the day before and at 7am. 9am same broker same call same answer. Same at 10 ,11 and 1pm when my driver did arrive at 1pm guess what freight is at another warehouse so I call the broker and would like extra pick up. I will get back to you. 15 minutes later broker calls is freight picked up!!! Really and carriers give bad customer service!!
Click to expand...

Rob - You can't fix stupid.

Good for you for doing your best to keep patient.

Mike
 
Bad customer service and inexperienced and/or poorly trained employees, are equally distributed between carriers and brokers. Unfortunately, like most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for. Many employees, regardless of their pay scale, feel more comfortable when they blindly follow procedure, at the expense of free thinking and in some cases, common sense. Tracing calls are part of any brokers procedure, no different than a carrier looking for his trucks each morning and afternoon. I try to allow or at least encourage, some flexibility in how my employees complete that procedure. If they have to read the load confirmation to get the carrier's phone number, why not read the whole page, including the special instructions, including pick-up locations and times, before they dial the number? No system and no employee is going to be perfect all the time, but good training that includes an understanding of what and why we do things a certain way, can go a long way.
 
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Totally agree with you PackRat. That would be an embarassing call!

I work for a small company. I book the freight and do my own follow up calls. Mostly long distance so it is not high volume. I like to get my calls out of the way to get on with other business. It shows that we all have the similar frustrations-- carriers and brokers;)
 
PackRat said:
With all due repsect to the other points made, I don't think any company, carrier or broker, would want to call their customer looking for the freight!
Click to expand...

I think clarification is in order here...As the broker - you can call your own customer FIRST and confirm the delivery was done and everything was in order. That is good customer service on the part of the broker - taking care of their own customer. If the freight was not delivered and/or an issue - then call the carrier you gave the load to and take it from there....

You wouldn't call "anyone" for that matter looking for the freight...that makes no sense at all....

Some good mixed viewpoints on this topic - insightful reading...
 
Sorry Accounts receivable@DRC, can't agree with you on that. As Packrat said, calling the customer to see if the freight had delivered, is like a cab driver asking the paying passenger "are we there yet"? The customer places his freight and his trust with the broker, who in turn, does the same thing with the carrier. In return for that trust, I want to know where the freight is, especially on the day that it is supposed to pick-up or deliver. If you have it, tell me where it is and then, I will return the trust my customer placed in me, and tell them when to expect their delivery or pick-up. No question, too many or repetitive calls are unnecessary, but I think I can speak for all brokers and say that I am not going to call my customer to see if the freight they gave me has delivered or picked-up yet.
 
Funny... I was thinking about posing this week based on all the crappy info we receive from customers sometimes (as a carrier). This week alone we had 3 wrong phone numbers, 2 places that did not have a loading dock that was booked as "dock to dock", 6 deliveries with no dock booked as "dock to dock" and 4 wrong address for pick up/delivery. Does anyone with "CSR's" have them verify the info before it is sent to the carrier?!?! Or is the customer king?

As an intermediary it is just as important "in my opinion" to verify the info given to the carrier from the customer. Don't get me wrong customer service is important but it seems that the information we are getting from SOME brokers is getting worse and worse.

The value added by a broker is streamlining the entire process of a shipment, not just collecting more money from the customer than what they pay the carrier. I guess that is what I find frustrating as a carrier is that everything is the carriers problem, everything is the carriers fault. But really with good info we would save everyone alot of headaches. And for the brokers that find it appropriate to put their contact info for the shipper and consignee so the carrier can't steal business from you, you best be sure all of your info on the carrier tender is accurate (FYI - the majority of quality carriers are too busy moving freight well to chase after every single account we move for a broker, we leave that to the not so reputable carriers which moved your freight based on price point. There are times you may not have many options which is understandable to use a particular carrier, but usually you get what you pay for in this business.

And there are alot of them based in the "Carrier Relation" section as food for thought. Mike JR made a very good point earlier. The good carriers will move your freight 99 times out of 100 without a hitch, and for the time where there is an issue we will call you to keep everyone in the loop. Because yes, thnigs do happen outside of everyone's control from time to time.

Finally, In regards to email for tracing... if you don't like email, you don't like to sit on hold and you don't like getting bad info... sometimes it does take some time to get accurate info to you (time zone delays, drivers sleeping, larger than normal amount of requests at a particular time etc.) I think email is a valuable tool, as you can create group emails and multiple people can see your request at the same time if the carrier is set up properly. So you might have 2 or 3 or more people that can respond to your request much faster than waiting on hold and getting frustrated...

Anyways, thats my comment on this thread for today, very good thread. As a "reputable carrier" we do take your comments on here seriously for self improvement, just hope that this creates some thought for self improvement on the broker end of things as well.
 
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GSTRUCKS said:
...This week alone we had 3 wrong phone numbers, 2 places that did not have a loading dock that was booked as "dock to dock", 6 deliveries with no dock booked as "dock to dock" and 4 wrong address for pick up/delivery...
Click to expand...

Wow. I'm speechless.

Seriously, those particular brokers have some pretty big problems internally if this is the kind of information you are receiving. If they can't take the time to CALL a consignee (or NEW shipper they are working with) to determine their hours, shipping capabilities, if a carrier arriving needs an apt, pickup number, steel toe boots, etc... then they really aren't performing a BASIC job function.

I take it they are paying out more in accessorial charges than they are making on the shipments to begin with. Good. they deserve to learn a hard lesson - train your staff properly to offer the information your supplier needs in order to service you to the best of their abilities.

Oh, Happy Friday!

Mike
 
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